◇ Hokkaido Nippon-Ham vs. Chiba Lotte Marines, Game 21 (30th, ES CON FIELD)

Chiba Lotte Marines Naonori Yasuda The player hit his sixth home run, a two-run shot.

Starting as the cleanup hitter and DH, Yasuda came up to bat for the third time in the top of the 5th inning with a 1-run lead, two outs, and a runner on third base. Kohei Arihara He connected with pitcher 's first pitch, breaking ball, sending the ball in the opposite direction. It flew just over the left field fence, adding two more runs.

Yasuda has been steadily improving his form in August, with a monthly batting average of .273 (as of before the game). This was his first home run in about three weeks since the game against Fukuoka Softbank on August 11th, and it added a valuable insurance run.

◇Comment from Yasuda
"The pitch I hit was cutter. It was my third at-bat with a chance to score, so I'm glad I was able to get a hit."

Written by Yui Kayama